Nieuws

19 juni 2015

TenCate supports’ initiative “Chak de India” to get kids more enthusiastic for hockey!

Dutch hockey international, Jaap Stockmann has taken the initiative with ‘Chak de India’ to see of if there are possibilities to get children in India interested in hockey. “During my adventures in India with the Dutch team in the Hockey India League, I learned a lot about India, its culture, its people and learned the differences between both countries. In many areas there are a lot of differences, but not when it comes to playing hockey. Sport connects. It forgets. It makes people, and especially children, happy.

Often these children in India hardly have any material that they can use for sports. With homemade stuff on a gravel field playing sports is no exception. Kids find hockey fun and interesting, but a lack of hockey sticks and other equipment often makes sure that these kids cannot play hockey,” says Jaap Stockman.

Eighteen months ago there began a campaign to collect old stuff like hockey sticks, balls and goalie gear at several Dutch hockey clubs. Eventually more than fifty hockey clubs cooperated in organizing a special fundraising at their club. Aside from the fundraising, special activities were held under various hockey clubs and hockey shops, sports brands have donated material and during several sports camps a lot of hockey items were collected as well. These are hockey objects that are no longer used in the Netherlands, are still extremely useful to help children in India acquainted with the sport. The fundraising event was a great success and has ensured that more than 7,000 items were collected. A fantastic result, thousands of children have thus the opportunity to exercise.

Get kids more enthusiastic for hockey!

TenCate and GreenFields have been approached by Jaap Stockman to look at the possibilities for cooperation, especially since both companies are committed to corporate social responsibility. TenCate has been a partner for more than ten years of the Johan Cruyff Foundation and GreenFields is actively involved in the Football for Hope project of the World Football Association FIFA, where small soccer fields are built in developing countries. TenCate and GreenFields are household names in national and international sport industry, and have committed themselves to the fantastic initiative of the Dutch hockey goalkeeper. With commitment of both companies to ‘Chak de India’ Jaap Stockman has the opportunity to get his enthusiasm for hockey across the border and promote his love for the game abroad. However, the main purpose is to create opportunities for disadvantaged children and get the kids to exercise. The social aspect of being together practicing the same sport, helps this group in the developing their social skills, sporting skills and on an intellectual level. Jaap Stockman about his ‘Chak de India’ project: “Our thanks go to GreenFields, who took the whole logistics process in itself. Without GreenFields, the material may never be sent to India. Naturally, thanks to everyone who has had a contribution to ‘Chak de India’ in a different way. “